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July 15, 2016 | Lois Farley

Founded by Polar Bears International, this day was created to draw attention to sea ice loss in the Arctic, why it matters, and how we can help.

Why should we care about sea ice? Here are a few facts from Polar Bears International about this remarkable part of the Arctic ecosystem:

Sea ice is as important to the Arctic ecosystem as soil is to a forest. The food chain begins with algae and other tiny organisms that live on and within the sea ice. Arctic cod feed on them. Seals eat Arctic cod. And polar bears prey on seals.

Polar bears rely on sea ice to efficiently catch their seal prey. The polar bear’s main prey, the ringed seal, relies on sea ice, too—for giving birth to and raising their pups.

Arctic sea ice is important to people living in the North and to our global climate. In fact, the Arctic is sometimes called the earth’s air conditioner because the sea ice helps cool the planet by reflecting some of the sun’s light and heat back into space.

Arctic sea ice is declining in both extent and thickness due to human-caused climate change. Just as a warm summer’s day melts the ice in a glass of water, a warming planet causes Arctic sea ice to melt.

Declines in the amount of sea ice means less heat is reflected away from the earth. Instead, more exposed ocean absorbs additional heat, further warming the planet and disrupting the climate.

Despite year-to-year variation, satellite data show that the September sea ice extent has declined more than 13.4% per decade since the satellite record began in 1979. That’s a loss four times the size of Texas!

Scientists say we have entered a new era with sea ice. Today there is more thinner, seasonal ice in some parts of the Arctic rather than thicker, multi-year ice. This young ice is much more vulnerable to rapid melting.

Without action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the probability of ice-free summers in the Arctic increases significantly from the middle to the end of this century. This will greatly reduce the polar bear’s ability to hunt during the summer months, reduce ice seal abundance, and impact people and wildlife around the world.

It’s not too late to save Arctic sea ice! You can help by asking your government representatives for a fair price on carbon. This will level the playing field for renewable energy and speed up our transition from fossil fuels.

Another sector where we can work together to #saveourseaice is to encourage sustainable food production and consumption and reduced food waste in our communities. Visit Polar Bears International Arctic Sea Ice Day page to learn about the Greenhouse Grocery List Challenge.